What would you do, loaned book not returned

Sounds to me like a childish problem. I'd disassociate myself from that person and get on with my life.
 

Won't as in refuses to?

Or won't as in just hasn't?

The former I would regard as kind of odd and unfriend-like. Surely I'd remember and never lend them anything again. If it's a book I wanted to keep I'd replace it. (What can you do, really?)

The latter I would ask for it back, preferably when I'm next in the person's home so there can be no excuses.
 
This depends on the book. Is it expensive, is it still in print and you could buy it again? Does it have sentimental value?
Is this person a friend, relative or acquaintance?

You can point out to the person that he or she could borrow it from a library (if library has it) or buy their own copy.
Say that this book is very important to you. Or you could go visit their place and take the book yourself.
Or in last resort, ask for one of their books that you want in return.
Barter with him or her and do not take a NO for an answer.
 
It depends on how precious the book is to you. I would ask for it back and if that fails, consider it a write-off and never lend a book (or anything) to this person again, and consider backing off from associating with them too.

Or, another strategy might be to ask to loan a book from them, and then not return it, and if they want it back, arrange to do a swap.

I only lend books out now that I don't care if I ever get back, as this has happened to me on several occasions.
 
It's possible that the person just keeps forgetting to return it to you. Some folks have terrible memories (like my husband. I've teased him that I'm going to get my name and relationship tattooed on my forehead so that he'll remember who I am when he looks at me. We've joked that if he ever gets alzheimers, we'll never notice until he dies from it). So ask for your book.
 
I don't lend books...if they are on my shelf they are still my magical friends. Now if I pass a book on to you then it's yours. I don't expect it returned and/or I still have a duplicate copy.
 
It can be annoying, I lent my signed copy of a book from someone relatively well-known and who was a close friend, back then, to another friend. The borrower claimed they returned the book; I've had to let it go. I admit, if I think back on it, it still irks me a little bit all these years later, but not to the degree I hold it against the person as the friendship means more and I'm sure the person didn't hold onto the book purposely, probably lost it and it slipped their mind they didn't return it. It only irks me because of the sentimental value of the author and a period of time.

I chuck such things up to experience and something I know not to repeat.
 
debodun said:
If you loaned a book to someone then they won't give it back?
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Have they refused to return it, or just haven't returned it?

If it's the latter, I'd ask for it back. If it's the former and/or they still don't return it after you've asked for it, I'd just write it off as experience and never loan anything to that person again; I'd probably not have much to do with them in the future, either.

I never loan a book I really care about, anyway -- people do forget to return them or they mess them up.
 
Loosey said:
Won't as in refuses to? Or won't as in just hasn't?
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When I asked for it back (they've had it 6 months - plenty of time to finish with it), they said I was an Indian giver. When I loaned it, I thought they understood I wanted it back within a reasonable time. It's a very old book and probably worth some money. I hope they didn't hock it.
 
debodun said:
When I asked for it back (they've had it 6 months - plenty of time to finish with it), they said I was an Indian giver. When I loaned it, I thought they understood I wanted it back within a reasonable time. It's a very old book and probably worth some money. I hope they didn't hock it.
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Could they have misunderstood and thought you gave them the book?? Were you clear when you lent it to them? I guess even if that were the case, if it were me, and the original owner asked for the book back, I'd just give it. If they insist on keeping it, you can just use this as a life lesson and not loan them anything again.

Maybe you can just ask to borrow it, then not return it to them. :p
 
No need for banning that person from your life over something material. However, if that person is just a slouch, yuh shouldn't be loaning stuff to them, in the first place.

Get the book back.
 
SeaBreeze said:
Could they have misunderstood and thought you gave them the book?? Were you clear when you lent it to them? I guess even if that were the case, if it were me, and the original owner asked for the book back, I'd just give it. If they insist on keeping it, you can just use this as a life lesson and not loan them anything again.

Maybe you can just ask to borrow it, then not return it to them. :p
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I'd give it back, too, if the original owner asked for it back.
 
I love books and love to share them. We have had a lot of books not returned to us. My husband has loaned out auto repair manuals too. The same can be said for movies and DVD TV series. Recently our X-Daughter-in lawl returned half of a season of Route 66 and we thought for sure my brother had borrowed it and forgotten it. Anyway, I'm about to the point of making every book owner responsible. Maybe The sick as they go. they sing

Sorry folks it's after midnight and I fell asleep while writing the above. I have no idea in heck what I was writing. I'm off to bed now. Good night friends. :)
 
I always ask for unreturned books back, sometimes making a joke out of how long it's taken them to read it. I have no problem with it. Hey, my stuff is my stuff. :eek:
 
fureverywhere said:
I don't lend books...if they are on my shelf they are still my magical friends. Now if I pass a book on to you then it's yours. I don't expect it returned and/or I still have a duplicate copy.
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Yes! Lol

I have read and own over 300, they are adoringly on bookcases.
I would never lend them.
 
Well, if I asked them for my book back and they wouldn't give it back..I think I'd take something from their house & then tell them I had it and wasn't going to return it until I got my book back. But , I think I'm meaner than many here :p
 
I let people keep books very often. It's not a problem anymore. I buy online books and read them on iPad. I'm downsizing everything so come and get em..lol
 
I would ask for it back and in doing so, explain to them that you didn't realize that they thought you were giving it to them because that was not your intentions. Tell them that you thought they had understood it was a loan.
 
Years ago when I graduated from nursing school I lent all my nursing books to a girl who was about to enter the same school. It would save her quite a bit of money. After a month or two she dropped out. I called her and asked for the books but she had excuse after excuse. I mentioned it to a supervisor who also knew the girl. Somehow she managed to get the books back for me. Since then I never, never, loan books. Actually, I hate loaning anything. I let someone borrow a large electric coffee pot for a gathering. It rolled around in the trunk of her car for 6 months before she returned it!!
 

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